CHRONIC INDIGESTION 557 



amount of exercise in order to keep his digestive apparatus in proper 

 working order. 



Chronic gastritis should never be neglected, as not only does 

 it make the animals unprofitable from a feeding standpoint, but it 

 also opens the door for invasion by the hog-cholera germs. An 

 animal suffering from chronic indigestion is an open invitation for 

 hog-cholera, and this disease is always ready to accept an invita- 

 tion from almost any feed lot. Keep the digestive tract of your ani- 

 mals in good working order, and give them clean, wholesome food, 

 good clean water, and proper quarters in which to sleep, and you 

 have done a great amount of good in preventing cholera in your 

 herd. 



In beginning the medicinal treatment of this disease it is well 

 to start in with a good-sized dose of calomel or some other physic. 

 Cut down the amount of food for a few days, and let the animal 

 get up a good appetite. Give a wider range and allow the hog to 

 forage partly for his food. Then, with the food, give a good bitter 

 tonic mixture. The following combination makes a very valuable 

 one: 



Powdered gentian 1 ounce. 



Powdered nux vomica 1 



Sulphate of iron 1 



Bicarbonate of soda 6 ounces. 



Sulphate of soda 6 



Mix this thoroughly to form a condition powder, and give a 

 teaspoonful to each animal once or twice daily with the food. This 

 preparation tones up the mucous membrane of the stomach, 

 increases the appetite, improves the quality of the blood, and 

 aids in ridding the animal of intestinal worms if any be 

 present. 



Another good mixture for use in this condition is the hog-cholera 

 preventive remedy mentioned in the section on The Treatment of 

 Hog-cholera. 



If there be a severe diarrhea which is not checked after the 

 animal has had a physic and this tonic mixture for a couple of 

 days, it is wise to give a few doses of subnitrate of bismuth. This 

 may be given in half to teaspoonful doses, according to the size of 

 the animal, and should be repeated two or three times a day for 



